Genotyping Rabbits

 

Genotyping Rabbits: The Basics-Page 2


By Shelly Whelan


--- Back to Page 1 ---

Appendix A: Sample Herd Genotyping


By using the suggested procedure, 5 animals were evaluated to determine genotype. The information recorded was sex, name, color of sire and dam, color of rabbit, and all alleles possible were filled in. The first evaluation yielded the following information:
1) Ely is solid orange over the body (ee) with a white belly (A). Upon close inspection, he also had bright blue tips on his ears (D and dd).
2) Sara is REW (cc). This is all that is known about her just from looking at her.
3) Tabatha is white with pink eyes, but has color on her nose, ears, feet and tail (ch). The marking color is black (B and D) but is banded, and she also has white under her tail, inside her ears, and around her nostrils (A).
4) Rina is a solid (aa) black (B and D). It can not be determined whether she is C or cw, nor can Es or E be distinguished.
5) Nina is also a solid black, so she is also aa B and D and C and E alleles are not distinguishable. This yields the first chart shown below.

Sex

Identification

(Sire & Dam)

Color

A

B

C

D

E

Buck

Ely

(Fawn & REW)

Blue Fawn

A

B

C

dd

ee

Doe

Sara

(REW & REW)

REW

cc

Doe

Tabatha

(Himi & Sara)

Pointed White

A

B

ch

D

E

Doe

Rina

Black

aa

B

D

Doe

Nina

(Chestnut & Rina)

Black

aa

B

D

To fill the list in more completely, information from the parents and offspring is used first, and then information from siblings, pedigrees, and finally herd records can finish out the list. For example, Ely's mother was a REW, so he must carry c. When Ely and Sara were crossed, the resulting litter of 11 contained 5 REW, 2 black, and 4 chestnuts. This means that in addition to the c which Ely was already known to carry, he also carries a since he sired a black offspring (aa). Sara also is now known to carry a, but whether she is Aa or aa cannot be determined. She is most likely also DD and EE since there were no dd or ee offspring in the litter, as would have been expected if she carried these recessives.
Since Sara is also the mother of Tabatha, this could add information to the genotype. Since Sara is cc, Tabatha must have one c. Tabathaís father was a solid pointed white (aa BB chch DD EE), so Sara must be Aa since both solid and agouti pointed whiteís occurred in this litter.
Nina is Rinaís daughter, and her father was Aa Bb Ccw DD Ee. The litter Nina was born in also contained chinchillas, steels, and chocolates, as well as blacks. This means that both parents were Bb, and additionally that Rina has Es since she passed this on. From the parental genotype, we see that Nina could have received either B or b, C or cw, and could be EsE, EE, Ese, or Ee so nothing is recorded for these columns.
On examining pedigrees, there is no family history of chocolate, dilute, or extended for Sara and Tabatha, so here they are both assumed to be BB DD EE. This is the form after all analysis is completed.

Sex

Identification

(Sire&Dam;)

Color

A

B

C

D

E

Buck

Ely

(Fawn & REW)

Blue Fawn

Aa

BB

Cc

dd

ee

Doe

Sara

(REW & REW)

REW

Aa

BB

cc

DD

EE

Doe

Tabatha

(Himi & Sara)

Pointed White

Aa

BB

chc

DD

EE

Doe

Rina

Black

aa

Bb

Ccw

DD

EsE

Doe

Nina

(Chestnut & Rina)

Black

aa

B?

??

D?

??

--- Back to table of contents ---

Appendix B: Phenotypes and Genotypes of Common Colors

Agouti

Chestnut Agouti

A-

B-

C-

D-

E-

Opal (Blue Agouti)

A-

B-

C-

dd

E-

Chocolate Agouti

A-

bb

C-

D-

E-

Lynx (Lilac Agouti)

A-

bb

C-

dd

E-

Chinchilla

A-

B-

cw*

D-

E-

Squirrel (Blue Chin.)

A-

B-

cw*

dd

E-

Chocolate Chinchilla

A-

bb

cw*

D-

E-

Lilac Chinchilla

A-

bb

cw*

dd

E-

Extended Agouti

Fawn

A-

B-

C-

D-

ee

Blue Fawn

A-

B-

C-

dd

ee

Chocolate Fawn

A-

bb

C-

D-

ee

Lilac Fawn

A-

bb

C-

dd

ee

Frost (Ermine)

A-

B-

cw*

D-

ee

Blue Frost

A-

B-

cw*

dd

ee

Chocolate Frost

A-

bb

cw*

D-

ee

Lilac Frost

A-

bb

cw*

dd

ee

Self

Black

aa

B-

¥-

D-

E-

Blue

aa

B-

¥-

dd

E-

Chocolate

aa

bb

¥-

D-

E-

Lilac

aa

bb

¥-

dd

E-

Ruby eyed white

--

--

cc

--

--

Blue eyed white

--

--

cc

--

--

VV

Shaded

Tort

aa

B-

C-

D-

ee

Blue Tort

aa

B-

C-

dd

ee

Chocolate Tort

aa

bb

C-

D-

ee

Lilac Tort

aa

bb

C-

dd

ee

Smoke

aa

B-

cw*

D-

ee

Blue Smoke

aa

B-

cw*

dd

ee

Chocolate Smoke

aa

bb

cw*

D-

ee

Lilac Smoke

aa

bb

cw*

dd

ee

Other

Steel

A-

--

¥-

--

Es*

Pointed White

--

--

ch*

--

--

Broken

--

--

--

--

--

Br*

More Colors

* Means that the other allele for that gene carried by the individual rabbit must be the same as, or recessive to, the one producing the color.

¥ Means either C or cw would produce a similar color.

Smokes are recognized and shown in ARBA shows as Frosted Pearls.

 

©Mystic Elegance Rabbitry 1984-1998, No part of this document may be reprinted without permission from the author.

 

--- Back to table of contents ---

--- Back to Home page---

 

Thanks for visiting, you are number to visit my site since July 1, 1998!